J.B. Pritzker on Principles & Values

	J.B. Pritzker on Principles & Values

Being a billionaire doesn't determine your values

Q: You're one of the leaders of the Democratic Party, you are also a billionaire. Some in your party are openly questioning whether billionaires such as yourself should exist at all. Just listen to what Zohran Mamdani, New York City's Democratic nominee for mayor, told me:

[VIDEO]: MAMDANI: I don't think that we should have billionaires, because frankly, it is so much money in a moment of such inequality.

PRITZKER: How much money you have doesn't determine what your values are. And I'm a Democrat because I believe that everyone deserves healthcare. I'm a Democrat because I believe we've got to fund education and have a free public education available to every kid in this country. I'm a Democrat because I believe that we've got to stand up for our democracy and against the MAGA Republicans who are literally trying to take away people's rights all across this country. So it does not matter what your income level is. What matters is what your values are.

Source: Meet the Press 2025 interview of 2026 Illinois Governor race , Aug 10, 2025

We don't have kings in America, won't bend the knee to one

We don't have kings in America--and I don't intend to bend the knee to one. If you think I'm overreacting and sounding the alarm too soon, consider this: It took the Nazis one month, three weeks, two days, eight hours and 40 minutes to dismantle a constitutional republic. All I'm saying is when the five-alarm fire starts to burn, every good person better be ready to man a post with a bucket of water if you want to stop it from raging out of control. Source: 2025 State of the State Address to the Illinois legislature , Feb 19, 2025

Trump should have called out Musk for Nazi salute

At a moment when antisemitism is at an all-time high in my lifetime, we have [Elon Musk] standing up at a presidential rally and giving two Nazi salutes in a row. Now, if he didn't mean it, he should apologize. Afterward, you could say, and he should, "I didn't mean that. That wasn't the symbol I was trying to show."

Neo-Nazis across the United States celebrated when he did that. That should be some indication to everybody about why this is so important for him to call out.

Now, what has he followed up with? Jokes about Nazis and then showing up in a video presentation to the far right folks who are the most antisemitic in German politics, and telling them, I'm for you. That's bad for the United States. It's bad for Jews across the world. It's bad for Germany. And President Trump ought to be calling that out. If he doesn't agree with Elon Musk, if he doesn't agree with two "Sieg Heils" at his own rally and backing a party that backs Nazis, then he ought to say so.

Source: CNN SOTU 2025 interview on 2026 Illinois Gubernatorial race , Jan 26, 2025

In Illinois, we don't hide from the truth; we embrace it

There is a virulent strain of nationalism plaguing our nation, led by demagogues who are pushing censorship. It's an ideological battle by the right wing, hiding behind a claim that they would protect our children -- but whose real intention is to marginalize people and ideas they don't like. This afternoon I've laid out a budget agenda that does everything possible to invest in the education of our children. Yet it's all meaningless if we ban books from school libraries about racism suffered by Roberto Clemente and Hank Aaron, and tell kids they can't talk about being gay, and signals to Black and Brown people and Asian Americans and Jews and Muslims that our authentic stories can't be told. Here in Illinois, we don't hide from the truth, we embrace it. That's what makes us strong. Source: 2023 State of the State Address to the Illinois legislature , Feb 15, 2023

Illinois is the best place to live in the entire country

Here's one thing I know for sure: Illinois is the best place to live in the entire country. Our history is more interesting, our food more flavorful, our businesses more innovative, our workers more industrious, our schools more distinguished, our culture more illuminating and our people more diverse and intelligent and creative than any other state in this great wide country of ours. Source: 2022 State of the State Address to the Illinois legislature , Feb 2, 2022

We need a reliably well-funded government

If there is anything the last year should have taught us, it is that we need a reliably well-funded government. In this unprecedented time, I believe we must fully support the agencies on the frontlines of the COVID-19 response--agencies that have been hollowed out deeply over the past two decades: the Departments of Public Health, Human Services, Veterans' Affairs, and Employment Security. Saving lives and livelihoods as this pandemic rages on is front and center. Source: 2021 State of the State Address to the Illinois legislature , Feb 17, 2021

We had to give up things; we didn't forget how to be human

We all had to change to fit the world we've had to live in for the last 12 months. We had to give up some of the best things about living our lives in order to save our lives. But we didn't forget how to hug old friends, toast at weddings, dance at concerts, cheer at baseball games, and share popcorn at a movie theater. We didn't forget how to be human. We didn't lose our fundamental character. Source: 2021 State of the State Address to the Illinois legislature , Feb 17, 2021

Ignored small problems become big problems

One thing I know in life is that if you want to make profound change in a broken system, you have to do the next good thing that needs to get done. Big problems become big problems when you let small problems sit. We could spend our time reliving every past failure, every bygone insult and fight--or we could fix things and be ardent voices on behalf of an agenda of opportunity in the years ahead. Source: 2020 Illinois State of the State address , Jan 29, 2020

Who needs another rich guy running for office?

Let me address a question I imagine may be on your mind:

"With Bruce Rauner as Governor and Donald Trump as President, why do we need another rich guy running for office?"

My answer is that it's a matter of values. About a century ago, my great-grandfather Nicholas arrived in Chicago penniless. He worked hard--but he had help. A social service agency helped him find a place to live. A good public school helped him learn English. A state university allowed him to get a higher education degree. You can't pull yourself up by your bootstraps if you don't have any, and this state gave my great grandfather his bootstraps. It's what everyone in Illinois deserves, it's what I've been fighting for my whole life, and it's what I'll be fighting for every day as your next governor.

Source: 2018 Illinois gubernatorial campaign website JBPritzker.com , Jul 17, 2017

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*Other governors on Principles & Values:*			*J.B. Pritzker on other issues:*
*IL Gubernatorial:* Barack Obama Jesse Sullivan Paul Schimpf Richard Irvin *IL Senatorial:* Anne Stava-Murray Kathy Salvi Mark Curran Peggy Hubbard Tammy Duckworth	*Gubernatorial races 2025:* *New Jersey Governor:* Democratic primary June 10, 2025: Ras Baraka, Mayor of Newark (2014-present) Steven Fulop, Mayor of Jersey City (2013-present) Josh Gottheimer, U.S. Rep. NJ-5 (since 2017) Mikie Sherrill, U.S. Rep. NJ-11 (since 2019); elected Nov. 4. Stephen Sweeney, N.J.Senate President (2010-2022) Republican primary June 10, 2025: Jon Bramnick, State Senator (since 2022); Minority Leader (2012-2022) Jack Ciattarelli, State Assemblyman (2011-2018), governor nominee (2021 & 2025); lost general election Edward Durr, State Senator 3rd district (2022-2024); withdrew *Virginia Governor:* Democratic primary June 17 cancelled: Abigail Spanberger, U.S.Rep., VA-7 (2019-2024); Dem. nominee 2025; elected Nov. 4. Levar Stoney, VA Secretary of the Commonwealth (2014-2016); (withdrew to run for Lt. Gov.) Republican primary June 17 cancelled: Winsome Earle-Sears, Lt. Gov. since 2022; GOP nominee 2025; lost general election Amanda Chase, State Senate District 11 (2016-2023); failed to make ballot Denver Riggleman, U.S.Rep. (R-VA-5); exploratory committee as Independent Glenn Youngkin, Incumbent Governor , (2022-2025), term-limited	*Mayoral races 2025:* *NYC Mayor Democratic primary June 24, 2025:* Adrienne Adams, speaker of the City Council Andrew Cuomo, former governor of New York, 2011-2021 (Independent candidate). Zohran Mamdani, New York State Assembly, 2021-2025 (Democratic nominee); elected Nov. 4. Republican June 24 primary cancelled; general election Nov. 4: Eric Adams, incumbent Democratic mayor running as an independent Jim Walden, Independent; Former assistant U.S. Attorney Curtis Sliwa, Republican nominee; CEO of the Guardian Angels *Jersey City Mayor (Non-partisan)* Non-partisan general election Nov. 4; runoff Dec. 2: Mussab Ali, former president of the Jersey City Board of Education Steven Fulop, outgoing Mayor (2013-2025) Bill O'Dea, Hudson County commissioner (since 1997) Jim McGreevey, former N.J. Governor (2002-2004) James Solomon, city councilor (since 2017) Joyce Watterman, president of the Jersey City Council (since 2023) *Oakland CA Mayor* Non-partisan special election April 14, 2025: Barbara Lee, U.S.Rep CA-12 (1998-2025) Loren Taylor, Oakland City Council (2019-2023), lost general election Sheng Thao, Oakland Mayor, lost recall election Nov. 5, 2024	Abortion Budget/Economy Civil Rights Corporations Crime Drugs Education Energy/Oil Environment Families/Children Foreign Policy Free Trade Govt. Reform Gun Control Health Care Homeland Security Immigration Infrastructure/Technology Jobs Local Issues Principles/Values Social Security Tax Reform War/Iraq/Mideast Welfare/Poverty [Title9]